Pro 31:30-31 | Clarke | e4.org | Verse 30. Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain, &c. ] III. Here is the summing up of the character. 1. Favour , chen, grace of manner may be deceitful , many a fair appearance of this kind is put on, assumed for certain secular or more unworthy purposes; it is learned by painful drilling in polished seminaries , and, being the effect of mere physical discipline , it continues while the restraint lasts; but it is sheker , a lie , a mere semblance , an outward varnish . It is not the effect of internal moral regulation ; it is an outside , at which the inside murmurs; and which, because not ingenuous , is a burden to itself . 2. Beauty , haiyophi , elegance of shape, symmetry of features, dignity of mien, and beauty of countenance, are all hebel, vanity; sickness impairs them, suffering deranges them, and death destroys them. 3. "But a woman that feareth the Lord," that possesses true religion , has that grace that harmonizes the soul , that purifies and refines all the tempers and passions , and that ornament of beauty, a meek and quiet mind , which in the sight of God is of great price - She shall be praised. ] This is the lasting grace, the unfading beauty.

‏ Proverbs 31:30-31

Verse 30. Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain, &c.]

III. Here is the summing up of the character. 1. Favour, chen, grace of manner may be deceitful, many a fair appearance of this kind is put on, assumed for certain secular or more unworthy purposes; it is learned by painful drilling in polished seminaries, and, being the effect of mere physical discipline, it continues while the restraint lasts; but it is sheker, a lie, a mere semblance, an outward varnish. It is not the effect of internal moral regulation; it is an outside, at which the inside murmurs; and which, because not ingenuous, is a burden to itself.

2. Beauty, haiyophi, elegance of shape, symmetry of features, dignity of mien, and beauty of countenance, are all hebel, vanity; sickness impairs them, suffering deranges them, and death destroys them.

3. "But a woman that feareth the Lord," that possesses true religion, has that grace that harmonizes the soul, that purifies and refines all the tempers and passions, and that ornament of beauty, a meek and quiet mind, which in the sight of God is of great price-

She shall be praised.] This is the lasting grace, the unfading beauty.

Verse 31. Give her of the fruit of her hands] This may be a prayer. May she long enjoy the fruit of her labours! May she see her children's children, and peace upon Israel!

And let her own works praise her in the gates.] Let what she has done be spoken of for a memorial of her; let her bright example be held forth in the most public places. Let it be set before the eyes of every female, particularly of every wife, and especially of every mother; and let them learn from this exemplar, what men have a right to expect in their wives, the mistresses of their families, and the mothers of their children. Amen.

MASORETIC NOTES ON THIS BOOK

Number of verses in the book of Proverbs, 915.

Middle verse, Pr 16:18.

Sections, 8.

The Syriac reckons 1863 verses.

The Arabic concludes thus:-"The discipline of Solomon written out by the friends of Hezekiah, king of Judah, the interpretation or translation of which is extremely difficult, (but) is now completed by the assistance and influence of the Son of God."

IN the introduction to the book of Proverbs, among the several collections of a similar nature which are mentioned there, I have referred to M. Galand's Maximes des Orientaux. From this work, as contained in the supplement to the Bibliotheque Orientale, I have translated the following selection. They will serve to show the curious reader how many sayings similar to those of Solomon still abound in the East.